**Set after the episode "The Blessing Way"**
"What We Hold Dear"
Margaret Scully opened her door to find Dana, standing at her doorstep. Since she left the hospital, Margaret had been keeping her emotions shut down and locked within her heart.
Until she saw and felt Dana hug her, did she allow herself to think of Melissa. Sweet, dearest Melissa.
Her sparkling, vivacious Missy was gone. Forever gone.
Dana's heartbreak and tears broke through her numbness and walking stupor.
"Oh, Dana." She whispered, pain seeping out of her every pore, as she returned Dana's hug, feeling the warmth and vibrancy of her last, living daughter.
Margaret looked over Dana's head to meet the devastated and guilt filled glance of her partner, Fox Mulder. Oh Fox, she thought. His loss of a beloved sister was just as poignant and just as fresh.
She reached out to pull him into her arms as well. The three of them stood, wrapped in their grief till Margaret felt Fox's arms guide them inside.
He seemed to understand that the Scully women needed a safe, quiet corner to begin their healing. He lead them both to a couch where a favorite blanket was kept and turned down the lights in the room to try and soothe and comfort. He brought them endless mugs of hot tea as they talked, cried and laughed over memories of a daughter and a sister who had drove them crazy with her colorful ideas and her overabundance of love….was there such a thing as overabundance?
Margaret woke from an exhaustion driven nap to find Dana resting across her lap and Fox sitting in a nearby chair, like a sentry on duty, staring out the window to the dawn breaking on the horizon.
"Thank you, Fox." She said quietly.
Surprise and confusion flitted across his face before she added, "For taking care of my Dana."
He slowly shook his head in acknowledgment as a lone tear fell from his eye.